noun
1. a riblike part of a plant or animal (such as a middle rib of a leaf or a thickened vein of an insect wing)
• Derivationally related forms: ↑costal
• Hypernyms: ↑structure, ↑anatomical structure, ↑complex body part, ↑bodily structure, ↑body structure
2. any of the 12 pairs of curved arches of bone extending from the spine to or toward the sternum in humans (and similar bones in most vertebrates)
• Syn: ↑rib
• Derivationally related forms: ↑costal
• Topics: ↑vertebrate, ↑craniate
• Hyponyms: ↑true rib
• Part Holonyms: ↑vertebrate, ↑craniate
• Part Meronyms: ↑costal cartilage
Useful english dictionary. 2012.